Slush-pump structure



May 18 1926.

M. W. CARROLL SLUSH PUMP STRUCTURE Filed` Jan. v, 1924 Patented May 18, 1926.

" UNITED STATE www n MONROE W. CARROLL, OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO SUN SHIPBUILDING &;

DRY DOCK COMPANY, OIE' CHESTER', PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

SLUSH-PUIVIP STRUCTURE.

Application filedyianuary 7, 1924. Serial No. 684,694.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in slush pumpstructures.

In drilling deep wells with rotary rigs, it is necessary to employ a pump `to wash out the mud, sand etc., and suoli pumps are known as slush pumps.

The parts of these pumps are subject to excessive wear and considerable experimenting has been done with the internal parts. It has been found necessary to provide a removable liner and stuffing boxes, which may be replaced when worn. Protracted tests have shown that soft rubber is the best material for packing the box. It has been the practice to use a gland which while adjustable to compress the rubber packing, is subject to the pressure of the uid of the pump, and not being locked, is caused to unduly compressthe packing vwhich results in abnormal wear. It is also the practiceto use plungers with comparatively soft surfaces and these soon wear out, due to the abrasion of the grit, sand and particles passing through thecylinder.

It is the object of my invention to provide a stufling box fork either a removable liner or a stationary vplunger cylinderhaving pro-Y provemeiit in the form of an attachment.

theiange 17-and the shoulder 18, a plurality which may be readily secured to the end of a pump cylinder without a-ltering or modifying the same.

Another object is to provide a tempered or case hardened steel plunger or a chilled cast plunger, which will withstand the abrasive action, and wear for a greater period than the plungers now in use.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for introducing a lubricant through the packing of the box, and under pressure if desired, which makes for ino-re etlicient lubrication vof the plunger, due to the fact that the plunger rides on the packing instead of upon the surface of the plunger cylinder.

Advantageous results secured through my invention are, a greatly increased life, more eiiiciency, less loss of time due to replacing parts, and a great reduction in wear, as well as a saving in the expense of operation and maintenance.

. A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of thel invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following speciiication and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of t-he invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end of a slush pump having an attachment thereon in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of F ig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3,-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a pump casing which has a cylindrical bore thereiny to form a cylinder 11. At the ends of the cylinder are the usual fluid pas-4 sages 12 and 13, respectively. The casing' .has an inlet port 14. The pump body 15 is provided with the usual valves and other parts which do not enter into the invention.

A ycylindrical liner 16 is fitted concentrically in the cylinder 11 and engages snug `within an inwardly directed annular flange of suitable packing rings 2O are mounted.

, The line-r has an outwardly directed annular flange 21 at its outer end engaging in a seat 22 on the outer end of the casing 10 and is adjustably fastened by stud bolts 23 and nuts 24. By this means the shoulder 18 may be set tight againstthe packingrings 20, and the latter compressed.

A tubular plunger 25 formed of a sleeve having heads 26 in which it is countersunk at each end, is mounted, on the reduced end of a piston rod 27 and suitably fastened. This plunger sleeve has a sliding t in the reduced portion of the liner and I propose to `form it of tapered or case-hardened steel or to cast it and finish it with a chilled outer and prolong the life of the plunger.

The shoulder 19 is beveled and forms the inner end or seat of a. packing box. A pair of beveled-edge soft rubber or equivalent packing rings QS ai'e mounted in the outer end of the liner and spaced apart :by a vlubricating ring 29,. The inner ring is seated against the shoulder 19, while the outer edge of the other ring Q8 is inwardly .of .theiouter edge of the liner. The inner surfaces of the rings QS snugly embrace the 'plunger The ring Q9 has radial ports 30 extending inwardly from a circumferential peripheral ducty 31. A port inthe liner communicates with the duct and registers with a port 32 in the pump body 15. A grease .gun 3-1- is attached ,to a nipple 33 for supplying a lubricant .under pressure to the ports 32 and 32. This lubricant is conveyed to the duct 31 and supplied through the ports 30 to the plunger.

lIhe plunger rides in the packing rings 28 and being properly lubricated will last much longer than otherwise. The life of the packing rings is frequently' shortened because of excessive compression. I have designed my struct-ure to obviate this and to compress the rings to the proper degree only.

To one end of the pump body 15, I fasten the fla-nge 35 of an elongated dome shaped cap 36 having an axial screw threaded bore 37 at its .outer end. An annular follower or gland ring 38 has its inner end beveled and engages the beveled edge of t-he outer ring 28. 'I his follower is secured to the inner end of a yoke 39 which has a screw threaded cent al aperture 40. The outer end of the lyoke is counter-bored around the aperture to form a beveled seat -11 in which the beveled end of a sleeve l2 is concentrically received. A heated stem 43 has screwthreaded engagement in the aperture 10 and extends through the sleeve.

The sleeve is externally screw threaded .and engages in the bore 37. The outer end vof the sleeve has a. wrench head 44 and is provided with a beveled seat /15 receiving a beveled nut -16 engaged in the outer screw threaded end of the stem. By tightening the nut 4:6 the sleeve and yoke are fastened together and by rotating the sleeve it is moved axially whereby the yoke 39 is adjusted longitudinally and the follower is moved to compress or release the packing rings.

The sleeve and stein form a convenient means of communicating longitudinal movement to the yoke and are subject to varia.- tion. The important feature of the device is means for lockingl the gland follower so that when it is subjected to fluid pressure it will not move and unduly compress the packing' rings 28. For this purpose I have shown a beveled nut 47 surrounding the sleeve and engaging in a. beveled seat -l-S in a concentric boss 49 on the end of the cap 3G. This nut locks the sleeve against rotation and axial movement and must be loosened before the gland can be adjusted.

By reason of the elongated cap I am enabled to vuse the elongated plunger 25 .1nstead of t-he Vshort piston head now kin use. Such a structure permits of two broad face .packing rings 2S and supporting the plunger in these rings, wear is taken olll the liner 16. v'llhis structure makes` advantageous the use of a plunger with a chilled or hardened surface. 'The packing rings however must not be ve:\;cessively compressed or they vill unduly grip the plunger and cause unnecessary and 'asteful wear.

As an attachment my device is applied by removing the head, liner, piston and piston rod (not shown) and substituting the rod 27, plunger liner 1S and the cap il() and component parts. The plunger gives a long stroke and passes through the follower into the cap.

It is obvious that various means for compressing the packing might be used. Also many forms of locking devices for holding the gland after it is adjusted could be evolved and vall those falling within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated.

lVhat I claim, is:

1. In a slush pump, a pump cylinder, a pump casing having a. bore forming a plunger working in the cylinder, compressible packing rings in the cylinder supporting the plunger, an elongated cap fastened on one end of the casing, an annular follower engaged in the cylinder for compressing the packing, a yoke rigid with the follower and extending outwardly in the cap, a sleeve screw threaded through the end of the cap and having rotatable engagement with the yoke for longitudinally adjusting the yoke, and a headed stein extending through the sleeve, the yoke being confined between the sleeve and the head of said stem to prevent axial movement of the yoke and follower in both directions.

Q. The combination with a slush pump casing having a bore forming a cylinder open at one end, a plunger working in the cylinder, and compressible packing rings exposed at the open end of the cylinder and supporting the plunger in the cylinder, of an elongated dome-shaped cap secured to the open end of the casing and having an axial boss on the outside of its dome, an annular follower in the cap engaging the packing rings, a yoke rigidly attached to the follower and extending in the cap, an element for adjusting the yoke and extending through the boss of the cap and preventing forward movement of the yoke and its follower, a stem extending longitudinally through said element, a head on the stein engaging said yoke and preventing rearlll ward movement of the yoke and its follower, means for fastening said element against rotation with relation to the yoke and said stem against longitudinal movement with relation to said element, and means engaging the boss for locking said element in adjusted posit-ion.

3. The combination with ak slush pump casing having a bore forming a cylinder, and a plunger and the compressible packing rings thereof, of an elongated cap secured to the pump casing, a concentric boss on the end of the cap axially screw threaded, a follower in the cap engaging the packing rings, a yoke in the cap attached to the follower, an externally screw-threaded sleeve engaged in the threaded bore of the boss, a headed stem extending through the sleeve, a head on the stem between which and the sleeve the yoke is confined, means to maintain the sleeve pressed against the yoke, and a jamb nut on the sleeve seated against the boss.

4. In a slush pump, the combination with a pump cylinder, of a plunger working in the cylinder, compressible packing rings in the cylinder supporting the plunger, a cap extending beyond the end of the cylinder, an annular follower engaged in the cylinder for compressing the packing, a yoke rigid with the follower and extending outwardly in the cap, a. member engaging the yoke and holding it from axial movement in one direction, another member engaging the yoke and holding it from axial movement in the other direction, and means to lock said members from movement relative to one another and tO the cap.

5. In a slush pump, the combination with a pump cylinder, of a plunger working in the cylinder, compressible packing rings in the cylinder supporting the plunger, a cap extending beyond the end of the cylinder, an annular follower engaged in the cylinder for compressing the packing, a yoke rigid with the follower and extending outwardly in the cap, a sleeve extending through and in threaded engagement with the end of the cap and abutting against the yoke, a stem threaded in the end of the yoke and extending through the sleeve, a nut threaded on the outer end of the stem and engaging the e outer end of the sleeve, and a nut threaded on the sleeve and engaging the outer end of the cap.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

MONROE w. CARROLL. 

